What Is the Recovery Time for Liposuction?

May 4, 2018

Liposuction is a surgical procedure done through tiny incisions to permanently remove any external fat that you may have in problem areas.

Typically, the feeling you will have right after liposuction is a sensation of post-workout pain, or the muscle soreness and pain you may feel after extreme exercise. The areas of liposuction will feel sore and numb for several days after your procedure. After a few days, you will probably feel itching, burning, electrical shocks, and similar feelings in the areas of liposuction. This is good, because it means that the nerves supplying your skin are beginning to have less swelling and are starting to heal. After several weeks, you should have normal feelings in your skin in all areas of liposuction.

Sometimes you may develop hardened soft tissue areas where you had liposuction. This may occur because you are wearing your post-surgery compression garment incorrectly, or your body may be trying to develop scar tissue in the areas of surgery. Often wearing your garment in a different fashion, or starting to massage that areas that are beginning to get harder, or both, will alleviate any asymmetry and scar tissue that is trying to form.

Patients can usually get back to work within 3-7 days after liposuction, depending on how much liposuction is performed and what kind of activities are required at your job. Walking around and gentle exercise is possible within several days, but vigorous exercise may need to be postponed for several weeks.

Liposuction patients are generally very happy with their results, and they are motivated to maintain their overall physique when the surgery is done.